Paper Example on Health Benefits of Organic Foods and Counter Arguments

Introduction

Organic foods refer to foods which are prepared and produced without the use of chemicals. They are produced naturally and rely on the forces of nature like sunlight and air to grow. They include foods like grains, vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products, amongst others. During the production of organic food production, artificial chemicals or genetic modification are not used (Tuomisto et al., 2012). People demand organic foods because of the belief that they are healthier as compared to the non-organic foods. For instance, in the United States, the demand for organic foods grew from $3.5 billion in 1996 to more than $28 billion in 2010 (Smith-Spangler et al., 2012). Several specialty stores have emerged so that they can fill in the gap for the demand for organic foods. There is a high probability that in the future, the market of the organic food might increase in the future. Despite the preference for organic foods by different populations in the world, there are varied opinions regarding their benefits. This paper will highlight the benefits of consuming organic foods as well as the limitations, which justify the negative perceptions that people have towards them.

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The manner in which food has been grown is likely to have an impact on the health, mental and emotional health of an individual who consumes it in the long-term. There is a low probability of the food affecting the consumer negatively (Forman & Silverstein, 2012). Organic farming applies methods such as green manure to fertilize the land, intercropping and crop rotation to control pests and diseases helps in the production of healthy and safer food products. Therefore, since consumers of organic foods eat healthy foods, they are in a position to get more nourishment compared to those that rely on non-organic foods.

According to Shafie and Rennie (2012), scientific tests conducted have established that organically grown foods produce antioxidants. The antioxidants act as a protective compound, keeping away pests that attack plants. The organic foods also have lower nitrate content which also serves as a pest-resistant element. A study by Shaffie and Rennie (2012) determined that meat and dairy products which have been produced using organic methods have higher levels of healthy fatty acids. The research established that organic milk and meat contains about 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than the conventionally produced meat and dairy. Reganold & Wachter (2016) argue that antioxidant levels in organic plants are about 69% higher than in conventionally grown foods. The antioxidants in organic foods are essential for the human body because they help protect body cells from damage.

There are also health differences between the organic and conventionally produced milk and meat concerning the nutrition value of the fatty acid. For instance, fatty acids, like the Omega-3s are essential in the prevention of diseases in the human body like cardiovascular diseases. In addition, they help in boosting the immune system and improve the neurological functioning. Hence, the consumption of milk and meat which has been organically produced guarantees the consumer high-quality minerals and vitamins.

According to Mie et al. (2017) people who consume organic foods are more physically active and exhibit lower rates of smoking, and they rarely die from chronic illnesses compared to those who consume non-organic foods. Such individuals have lower incidences of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and hypercholesterolemia. Further, the health of a child may be affected if they are regularly fed with unhealthy foods. Mie et al. (2017) emphasize that children who consume organic foods periodically have a lower frequency of allergies or atopic diseases compared to who only consume non-organic foods.

Lactating mothers also enjoy the health benefits of consuming organic foods. This was determined through a survey conducted on a group of 2700 new mothers from the Netherlands. The study established that vitamins and mineral contents were more significant in organic foods. Crinnion (2010) argues that organic foods have 29% more magnesium, 21% more iron, 13.6% more phosphorous and 27% more ascorbic acid compared to non-organic foods. This concurs with suggestions made by Mie et al. (2017) that eating organic foods makes people physically active and free from heart diseases and other disorders. The minerals and sugar structures found in natural foods make them tasty as the plants have been given more time to develop and mature.

In organic farming, the methods adopted focus on animal welfare, which goes beyond the conventional farming standards. In traditional farming, the animals are given antibiotics which protect against illnesses and enable them to grow in crowded places. A renowned firm, International Federation of Agriculture Movement (IFOAM), was established to develop the criteria for organic farming and animal husbandry. The essential guidelines of organic animal husbandry state that animals should be bred in a natural environment and the use of any chemicals and drugs should be avoided. FDA has banned the use of certain antibiotics for livestock but some farmers still use them. A study by Hammarberg (2002) revealed that organic regulation requires injured or sick animals to be treated when in conventional farming. Alternatively, animals should be left untreated or expedited for butchering before sickness worsens. The study also established that traces of antibiotics used on animals can affect consumers. In conventional dairy farming, it is common to find a cow being separated from her calf which limits the bonding and is considered unnatural. Hammarberg (2002) affirms Mie et al. (2017) arguments that organic foods improve the welfare of animals and that of people.

Another benefit of breeding animals in an organic environment is because the animals are allowed to move freely unlike in conventional farming which limits the domesticated animals from interacting with their natural environment. When animals move around freely, their bodies function well. However, a significant difference between organic and conventional animal husbandry lies in the process of butchering the animals. According to Hammarberg (2007), organic farming stipulates that animals should be slaughtered in approved and controlled slaughterhouses, unlike conventional methods where animals can be slaughtered anywhere. This increases the possibility of contaminating the meat and passing the disease-causing infections to consumers.

Another benefit of advocating the growth and consumption of organic foods is that it can be beneficial to the environment. Organic farming does not only focus on production of healthy foods but also considers the long-term sustainability of the environment through agricultural interventions on the eco-system. The organic farming methods are internationally governed by the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) which focuses on ecology, health, fairness, and care in farming (Crinnion, 2010). Ecology focuses on the balance of nature through organic farming methods. Organic farming aims to strike an ecological balance and uses farming methods which do not affect the environment negatively. For instance, organic farming encourages practices like crop rotations, intercropping, cover crops and minimum tillage. All these are aimed at improving the soil formation and structure which leads to the creation of a stabilized systems. Organic farming has supported the increase of soil organic matter and lowered nutrients losses per unit area. The soil management methods used in organic farming also helps to control soil erosion through reduction of the amount of time the soil is exposed to erosion forces. The organic farming practices also increase soil biodiversity which reduces nutrient losses and helps maintain and improve the soil productivity. Organic agriculture also makes use of organic fertilizers like animal manure, compost, and green manure (Gad & Dacko, 2013). These fertilizer options benefit the environment by enhancing soil structure and water infiltration.

Another limitation of engaging in non-organic farming includes the increased use of renewable energy. Non-organic agriculture increases the greenhouse effect and global warming through the ability to sequester carbon in the soil (Shafie and Rennie, 2012). The input of chemicals in the soil contaminate the natural composition of healthy soil, meaning that such cannot support the growth of plants, unless boosters or incentives are poured on it to trigger the growth. The increased levels of nitrogen and nitrous oxide makes it impossible to grow plants. In addition, during irrigation or after the rains, the soil is pushed down to water bodies, which contaminate the drinking water. Nitrogen leaching happens when water remains stagnant in the soil for a long period of time, making the groundwater have excess nitrogen. Further, the ignorance of farmers to practice crop rotation and cover crops encourages the spread of nitrogen precipitates in the soil. The more the soil holds organic carbon the more the mitigation potential of agriculture against climate change is higher. Non-organic farming uses Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which are harmful to the environment and health of consumers. A solution to this problem would be the adoption of organic methods of farming. This is because they favor interactions within the agro-ecosystem which are important for both agricultural production and nature conservation. The ecological services attained include soil stabilization, soil forming and conditioning, carbon sequestration, nutrients cycling and waste recycling. When a consumer purchases organic products then they are promoting a less polluted agricultural system. Organic agriculture helps reduce the degradation of natural resources. Therefore, this encourages biodiversity and development of seeds and breeds which have a greater resistance to disease and resistance to tough climatic conditions (Forman & Silverstein, 2012).

Consumers have reported cases of food-borne sickness outbreaks. Some of the products that are reported to contribute to the food-borne illnesses include spinach, melons, peanut butter, eggs and food from fast food restaurants. The primary cause of these food-borne illnesses have linked them to agribusiness and conventional farming (Reganold & Wachter, 2016). The food-borne illnesses occur when animals which are sick are vaccinated and then their products released for consumption. This practice is known as concentrated animal feeding operations and it leads to a deadly drug-resistant illness which is passed on to consumers when they eat food products from these products (Hjelmar, 2011). The best way to prevent these illnesses has been established to consume organic foods. The methods used in the production of organic foods have been determined to be very safe because organic foods do not use any type of chemical preservatives or modifications. This makes organic foods very healthy and tasty because they are often given the necessary time to develop and mature (Crinnion, 2010). The use of environmentally friendly agricultural production techniques ensures that the foods are not contaminated and have a better taste as compared to conventional foods.

One limitation of consuming non-organic foods lies in the use of chemicals in the production of the plants. Pesticides used in the production of foods is linked to a number of disorders and diseases such as headaches, digestive dysfunctions, cancers, ADHD, weak immune systems and even premature death (Cabuk et al., 2014). Although pesticides are not the main cause of terminal illnesses su...